The invention relates generally to the field of rope and cable terminations. More particularly, the invention relates to methods and apparatus for creating a closed loop at the end of a braided fiber rope of cable to enable coupling the rope of cable to another device. The invention has particular application in the making of seismic streamer segments.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,142,481 issued to Metzbower et al. describes construction of a stretch section used with seismic streamers that are assembled from a plurality of streamer segments coupled end to end. In particular, FIG. 2 in the '481 patent shows a cross section of a typical streamer segment. The streamer segment includes one or more strength members, usually made from woven fiber rope. The one or more ropes are coupled at each of the longitudinal ends thereof to a termination plate. Techniques and devices known in the art for coupling the strength member(s) to the termination plate are difficult and expensive to implement, and may have an axial load bearing capacity that is substantially less than the usable tensile strength of the strength member(s). More specifically, the strength member terminations are designed for conventional rope-type strength members only.
There exists a need for improved strength member terminations.